Caught Off Guard
by BitterSweet.Toxic
Summary: Karen McCormick is just your normal fourteen year old girl. Well, as normal as you can be living in South Park. She has to face problems like parents and crushes just like everyone else. But when she stumbles in on Kenny's secret how will she react? Will everything spiral out of control? And what does a certain member of the Broflovski household have to do with it?


**Author's Note: So.. This is my first completed fanfic, hope you enjoy it. :3 Please review. Comments, critique, etc. If you don't it will make me a saaaaad panda. (Apologies in advance for any mistakes you may find.)**

I stretch my pale, skinny arms as I yawn. Rolling onto my side I open my eyes reluctantly. It is a Saturday morning in the quiet mountain town of South Park, in which I live. My name is Karen McCormick, and I am fourteen years old. i have two older brothers, Kenny who is sixteen, and Kevin who is eighteen. I blink my eyes repeatedly, trying to focus in on my surroundings. I groan and hesitantly push the covers off of myself before I drag myself out of bed with slow, exaggerated movements. I walk over to the tattered curtains, the shaggy carpet scratching off my feet, and pull them open, golden sunlight pouring into the room. I stand there for a moment, admiring the sun glisten on the white snow outside, but then the smell of a fry being cooked wafts up my nose and I know it's time for breakfast. I pad barefoot into the kitchen where I see my two brothers. I roll my eyes as I see Kevin stuffing his face as per usual. When Kevin sees me he bursts out laughing, milk from his cereal pouring out his nose. I am used to seeing weird stuff like that, but I give him a fierce warning glare for laughing at me. Kenny, who was making the fry, turns to me.

"Don't mind him Kar, you look, er, good," he tries to reassure me, but it doesn't work. I roll my eyes at Kenny. We are the closest in the family.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" I ask casually, pouring myself some cereal. Kenny appears quiet and turns back to his fry.

"They never came back," he explains lifelessly. I frown as I chew my bland, almost tasteless cereal. I'm not worried as this happened quite frequently, just disappointed.

"I'm going out," Kevin announces suddenly, sprinting towards the door. Of course he didn't tidy up after himself. Kenny sits down across from me, his plate in front of him.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather this instead?" he asks, his tone soft. I shake my head slowly, my brown hair bouncing.

"No Kenny, you eat it, we can rarely afford frys," I refuse politely, looking up into his blue eyes. I know he cares alot about me, but he needs food too. Kenny slices through the egg, breaking the yolk and causing it to ooze all over the plate. The aroma of bacon makes my mouth water, but I stay quiet and eat my cereal. Kenny's blond locks fall into his hunger-filled eyes as he wolfs down the food. It mightn't be the healthiest of meals, but it was better than poptarts or toaster waffles.

"Mm.. I was thinkin' 'bout going to the Broflovski's, y'know, to see Kyle. I'm sure Ike'll be there too if you wanna come with," he suggests, his mouth full of food. I am unfazed by this and my mind lingers on my best friend Ike.

"Sure Kenny, just let me get dressed, 'kay?" Kenny nods, focused on getting every last crumb off the plate. I make my way back to my room, quickly changing into my comfy grey skinny-jeans and Guns 'n' Roses hoodie. Then I walk into the bathroom and look at myself in the cracked mirror. For a moment I am taken aback, and I see why Kevin was laughing. I brush through my hair, making sure all the knots and tangles are gone. I emerge from the bathroom after I curl my hair and look at Kenny who is after doing the washing up.

"Ready yet?" he asks in a playfully mocking tone. I roll my eyes.

"C'mon, lets go." We briskly make our way to the Broflovski's and it starts to snow lightly.

* * *

I shiver as a gust of cold wind blows by, and I hear Kenny's muffled laughter from behind the hood of his now pulled up parka.

"Shup Kenny," I mutter quietly, but loud enough for him to hear. Mrs. Broflovski answers the door. She is a rotund woman with reddish hair pulled up into a beehive.

"Oh hello Kenny! Karen! I didn't know you were coming today!" she says cheerfully in her New Jersey accent. Kenny assures her it must've slipped Kyle's mind. Which was a lie.

"Oh! Well come in, come, make yoselves at home!" she exclaims, ushering us inside. "Boys! Kenny and Karen are here!" she calls up the stairs. There is some banging and crashing from upstairs and a disgruntled Kyle comes barging down the stairs, Ike following closeby. Kenny's hood was still pulled up, but you could tell he was grinning. Kyle rolls his eyes while shaking his head when he sees us.

"Okay Bubby, I'm going shopping for tonight's dinna, I'll be back in a half an hour or so!" Sheila announces, using the pet name both her sons detest.

"Sure Mom," Kyle murmurs dismissively. Before she leaves Sheila pulls Ike into a hug and plants a huge kiss on his cheek. I snigger quietly to myself.

"Weak dude!" I laugh when she's gone, but Ike only shoots me a glare. Kyle turns his attention back to Kenny.

"So, just decided to come here unannounced, eh McCormick?" he muses, stepping off the stairs and moving closer to Kenny. Kenny pulls his hood down, his blond locks falling into his blue eyes as he smirks mischievously.

"Not a problem, is it Broflovski?" he asks with mock innocence, pulling the boys green ushanka off and letting a mound of red curls tumble down.

"God dammit Kenny, give me back my hat!" the red-head orders, trying to snatch the hat back from the taller boy. But Kenny holds the hat just out of his reach, teasing him, with a taunting smile on his lips. I turn back to Ike and make a silent wretching motion with my fingers. Ike laughs.

"C'mon, lets go, maybe we can call for Ruby and Georgie?" Ike suggests. I nod, and we're about to leave when Kenny's voice rings out.

"Where are you going?" he asks, a protective note in his voice. But he let his guard down and Kyle manages to grab his ushanka with a victorious sile. I roll my eyes at them.

"Just out, Kenny," I reply dismissively. With saying that me and Ike exit the house.

"God, big brother's can be such headcases sometimes," I comment.

"Agreed!" Ike laughs. The snow that fell was becoming increasingly heavier when we reached the Tucker's house. Ruby answers the door, her face pale and her nose cherry-red. Her amber eyes are dull, and she looks ill, which she obviously is.

"Hi guys," she sniffs, her voice hoarse. I look at her sympathetically.

"Hey Rubes," I say softly, not sure of what to do. Ruby wasn't going to be coming out, that was for sure.

"As you can see, I'm not doing too good.. So I won't be coming out.." Ruby explains, though it's painfully obvious.

"Hope you feel better soon," Ike interjects, speaking for the first time. Ruby smiles faintly, her amber eyes sparking with a dull light.

"Thanks Ike," she croaks. Mrs. Tucker suddenly sidles up beside her daughter, narrowing her eyes at Ike and I.

"As you can see, Ruby is sick, so she will not be going out," she says snappishly. I'm taken aback, and I'm sure Ike is too.

"Well, see you then, Ruby. We'll just.. call for Georgie.." I say slowly. Ruby just shakes her head, strawberry blonde pigtails bouncing.

"Georgie's sick too," she informs us.

"Oh.." I trail off, glancing at Ike. Mrs. Tucker, I sense, is growing very irritated.

"Okay, well, Ruby has to go rest now, you really should get going," she says with a slight hiss, closing the door in our faces. I glare at the door after it is closed.

"Jeez, what the hell is her problem?" I grumble to Ike, turning to face him.

"I have no clue," Ike says sharply. Obviously this little encounter with Mrs. Tucker had irritated him more than me. He digs his hands into his jeans pocket, glaring at the ground. I watch the white snow fall into Ike's raven-black hair, and I smile faintly. Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, a smirk tugs at his lips. We start walking again, engulfed in our own thoughts. Ike stops suddenly.

"So... what will we do now?" he asks, looking down at me.

"Snowball fight?" I suggest, glancing around at the snow.

"With two people?" Ike looks skeptical. I roll my eyes.

"It IS possible. Me 'n' Kenny do it all the time," I explain. Ike is quiet for a moment.

"Ok!" Suddenly Ike bends down, and before I have time to process what he is doing the impact and temperature of cold snow hitting my face makes me stagger backwards. My eyes widen and I quickly brush the snow off my face.

"Oi! You're dead Broflovski," I warn with a laugh. My face still stings from where the snow had been. Ike watches me curiously as I run my hand along a nearby car and fling the mound of snow at him.

"No fair!" he cries, shaking his head free from the freezing snow. I see him tense his muscles and I make a break for it. He chases after me, but we don't get far because I trip over a gnarled tree root, and he trips over me. And somehow we end up in the awkward position of me lying on my back in the snow with Ike on top of me, our faces inches apart. We stay like this for awhile, my pulse accelerating. It feels weird to be this close to Ike, and his piercing blue eyes don't help.

"You're such a God damn klutz Karen," he laughs awkwardly, finally rolling off of me. I inhale slowly and deeply.

"Yeah..." I murmur in agreement. Ike stands up, brushing himself off again, but this time extending a hand to me. I grab it, and it feels like an electric current passes from him to me, but I know I am only imagining things. Ike pulls me up and I smile gratefully at him.

"Maybe we should go back to my house?" Ike suggests, still looking a little awkward.

"Yeah..." I agree quietly.

* * *

We walk back to Ike's house in silence, but this time it was just an awkward, quiet silence. Ike opens the front door for me, and as I enter warmth engulfs me, but nothing will prepare me for what I see next: Kenny and Kyle. Sitting on the sofa. Kissing. I freeze on the spot, my blood running cold. And when Ike walks in he does too. Kenny and Kyle are jolted away from each other when they hear the slam of the door.

"Kenny!?" I exclaim with shock at the same time Ike exclaims Kyle. The older brother's just look at us younger siblings, unsure of what to do or say.

"Karen, it's not what it lo-" Kenny begins to say but I cut him off.

"Oh don't patronize me Kenny!" I snap. "I can't believe you! What do you think I am? Stupid?" I am not upset, just confused. My brother Kenny, the biggest perv in the world, with all those magazines, was GAY? Well, maybe he was bisexual or something, but it is still hard for me to believe. But the thing that hurts the most is that he never told me. Kenny stays quiet, ashamed maybe?

"Why didn't you tell me Kyle?" Ike asks, obviously wounded by his brother's secrecy.

"Tell you what Bubby?" asks the voice that makes everybody's blood run cold. Kenny and Kyle exchanged worried glances. Kyle sighs.

"Ma, I need to tell you something.. In private... With Kenny," he adds after a moment. Sheila Broflovski was a very scary woman when angered. She declared a war on Canada over a movie for God's sake!

"Sure Bubby," Sheila coos, walking into the kitchen with her hands full of groceries. Kenny glares fiercely at Kyle as they trail after the large woman. I plonk myself down on the green tarten couch, my head in my hands. All that's running through my head is 'Why didn't he tell me? Did he think I wouldn't accept him? Why didn't he tell me?' Ike sits down beside me, silence enveloping between us yet again. Would anything be normal between us now?

"What, what, WHAT!?" comes the sound of Sheila's voice, and I lift my head to look at the door. Sheila isn't taking the news too well then...

* * *

Sheila had called my ma and now a big fight was escalating in the Broflovski's kitchen. I rest my head on Ike's shoulder and sigh exasperatedly. But as I inhale the smell of Ike's neck is drawn up my nose. It smells like Ivory Soap. I close my eyes and groan inwardly. Why Ike? Why my best friend? I feel Ike grasp my hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.

"Everything's gonna be okay Kar," he whispers softly in my ear. I hope he is right.

* * *

The shouting finally stops, and my mam comes bursting through the kitchen door, dragging Kenny behind her.

"Mom? What's going on?" I ask, lifting my head up to look at my mother. She ignores my question.

"Karen get up, we're goin' home! I don' want you 'round 'ere anymore!" Beside me I feel Ike tense and tighten his grip on my hand. I shoot him a confused look before turning to mam again.

"Why?" I ask, like I'm one of those annoying children who constantly say why to everything that's said to them. She glares sharply at me.

"Just do as I say, god dammit!" she roars. I see Kenny squirm, trying to get out of my mother's iron-like grip. "Jesus Christ Kenny, STOP!" she snarls at him. "Get up now Karen," she adds sharply. I look from Ike to my mother and back again.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, letting go of Ike's hand and walking over to my mother. I didn't dare look back at Ike

* * *

When we reached the house mam pushed us inside.

"I hate you," Kenny says flatly.

"You hate me!? You hate ME, when HE'S the one who turned you GAY!" Mam shouts in disbelief. Kenny's eyes burn with a rage I've never seen before.

"I'm not gay! I'm not God-damn gay! I like guys, but I also like girls! For the love of God mom, we went through this at Kyle's house!" he all but snarls back. Mom's gaze softened a little, relaxed by the fact her son still liked girls? Probably. She probably thought that he was just going through some phase, and that he'd get over it soon too.

"Okay Kenny, I see," she murmurs thoughtfully.

"But you don't, do you?" Kenny growls in disgust.

* * *

- "No Kyle, I'm not listening to this nonsense any longa!" Sheila snapped after the McCormick's had left. Kyle sighed. He always had had a problem about reasoning with his mother.

"But it's not nonsense!" he wailed.

"N-no Ma, it's important for you to understand!" Kyle stammered. "I was born this way, it's not your fault, or dad's, or Kenny's. I have known I liked Kenny for a long time now. There's nothing you, or anyone else, can do to stop me feeling this way. Ma, by keeping me away from Kenny you're not doing anything but hurting me, and making me resent you. That's not what you want, is it?" Sheila rolled her eyes at her son's futile attempts to guilt-trip her. But inside they did hurt and she knew what Kyle said was true.

"I will talk to your fatha when he comes home from, but this convasation is ova between us. I mean it Kyle." Kyle sighed, walking into the sitting room where Ike was.

"Any luck?" he asked. Kyle shrugged.

"I don't know, I really don't know," he muttered, skulking off into his room. -

* * *

- A month has passed neither the Broflovskis, or McCormicks, have had any contact with each other. The McCormick's have become more understanding towards their son as time passed by, but Sheila was as stubborn as ever. Gerald has just returned from his business trip.-

* * *

- "Gerald, we need to talk," she croaks, her voice barely above a whisper. Gerald looks concerned, and he takes a step towards his wife.

"Sheila? What's wrong?" he asks his wife, his voice quiet and low. Sheila doesn't look him in the eye.

"Kyle is... Kyle is gay Gerald..." she whispers finally. Gerald doesn't look disgusted, doesn't look panicked, only thoughtful.

"And what's the problem Sheila? Is he going out with someone you don't approve of?" he asks, trying to figure out why Sheila had been in such a state. Sheila shakes her head.

"He's going out with Kenny," she informs him dryly. Gerald was being so calm about this news... How?

"Kenny McCormick? Ah, he's a good kid," Gerald replies with a smile. Long ago Gerald had been friends with Stuart McCormick, Kenny's father, but now they rarely spoke. Sheila stares at Gerald, her forest-green eyes wide.

"Kyle, our Bubby, is gay, and you can just reminisce about times past with Stuart!?" Sheila half-growls. Gerald's smile falls.

"Sheila, are you saying you don't approve of KYLE?" His reply is met with silence. Guilty silence. Gerald frowns. "Sheila, look at me. So we won't be getting any grandkids from him, but he's our son, and we should accept him for who he is. I know I do. And I thought you did too Sheila.." He pauses, looking into Sheila's green orbs. "I know it's hard for you, but you have to realize this time you're wrong." Sheila doesn't know what to do. She does know though, that Kyle will not just one day stop being gay, and she would have to come to terms to it sooner or later.

"Kyal!" she calls out suddenly. There is some shuffling from upstairs and Kyle emerges. He says nothing, just looks at his mother blankly. "Bubby, I'm sorry for everything I've put you through this past month. So sorry.. I just want you to know.. you can go see him now.. Kenny I mean..." she explains slowly, and very sincere with her apology, looking ashamed. Kyle stares at Sheila in disbelief for a moment. He gives Gerald a meaningful look before dashing out the door. It will take awhile for him to forgive Sheila. He runs faster than he ever has before, not stopping until he reaches the McCormick's front door. -

* * *

I hear a loud, repetitive knocking at the door, and I hover nearby as Kenny goes to answer it. My eyes widen when I see who it is, no doubt the same happens to Kenny.

"Ky?" he whispers in disbelief, putting a hand forward, but not quite touching Kyle, as if he would disappear at his touch. Kyle smiles faintly and nods his head, a stray red curl falling from beneath his ushanka. "Kyle!" Kenny gushes, pulling him into a tight, blood-circulating embrace. Kyle chuckles embarrassedly, burying his face into Kenny's neck. I just watch them, not quite grasping the situation.

"If you're here, that means I can go see Ike?" I ask slowly. Kyle lifts his head, only noticing me now.

"Yeah, of course," he replies. I start to grin. It would be the first time I saw my best friend in a month! Before I know what I am doing I'm outside running, the snow crunching underneath my worn-out high-tops. When I reach the Broflovski's I stop, trying to catch my breath before knocking on the door. Didn't want to look like a retard, panting over and over again, did I? Every time I inhaled I was hit hard in the chest with cold wind, and it was so painful. But it would be worth it when I saw Ike. My breath hangs in the air, and I instantly remember Ike saying to me 'Look, I'm smoking!' when we were in kindergarten and we were waiting for the bus to pick us up with our brothers and their friends. I smile to myself before I knock on the door. I'm waiting, impatience nipping at me. Until I see the door open. And there is Ike, staring at me as if he can't believe his eyes.

"Ike," I breath, the smile turning into a grin. Ike is grinning back at me now.

"Karen," he says softly, taking a step towards me and closing the door behind him. My heart lurches when he says my name, and I know it's stupid, but I just can't help it. I look into his ice-blue eyes, only to find out he is looking into mine. And I don't know why I say what I say next, it just felt right. Kenny told me about the way he felt about Kyle, and that describes how I feel about Ike.

"Ike.. I love you."

**Author's Note: Eee, soppy ending, right? Review please, it'll make my day. :D**


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